Kashmir
Plan a trip

Kashmir with friends: rivers, glaciers and passes

7 days, 6 nights: Srinagar (2N), Sonamarg (2N), Pahalgam (2N). Best time to go: May–Aug (outside the yatra if possible).

Day 1: Arrive in Srinagar

Srinagar

  • Shikara ride on Dal Lake · 2 h. Hourly rates per boat are posted at the ghats on Boulevard Road; agree the route (Char Chinari, the floating gardens, Nehru Park) before you set off. Sunset is the classic time.
  • Hazratbal shrine and the Nigeen shore · 1.5 h. The white marble shrine on the lake's north shore; remove shoes, dress modestly, and note that women may enter only part of it.

Local tip: Hourly rates per boat are posted at the ghats on Boulevard Road; agree the route (Char Chinari, the floating gardens, Nehru Park) before you set off. Sunset is the classic time.

Open day 1 route in Google Maps

Day 2: Explore Srinagar

Srinagar

  • Shalimar, Nishat and Chashme Shahi gardens · 4 h. Terraced 17th-century Mughal gardens along the lake's east shore, each with a small entry fee. Add Pari Mahal above Chashme Shahi for the view over Dal.
  • Shankaracharya temple hill · 2 h. Drive up the hill, then climb about 240 steps to the stone temple for a view over Dal and the city. Expect a security check; leave bags in the car.
  • Old city walk: Jamia Masjid and Khanqah-e-Moula · 3 h. The wooden Khanqah-e-Moula on the Jhelum and the great Jamia Masjid courtyard are the highlights; a local guide helps in the lanes. Dress modestly, women cover their heads, and avoid Friday prayer times.

Local tip: Terraced 17th-century Mughal gardens along the lake's east shore, each with a small entry fee. Add Pari Mahal above Chashme Shahi for the view over Dal.

Open day 2 route in Google Maps

Day 3: Srinagar → Sonamarg

Sonamarg · Srinagar to Sonamarg, Car ~2.5h

Local tip: About 3 km from the taxi stand to the glacier's snout and snowfields; walk it or take a pony at the posted rate.

Open day 3 route in Google Maps

Day 4: Explore Sonamarg

Sonamarg

  • Zojila and Zero Point · 4 h. Union taxis climb the Zojila road to snowfields at Zero Point when the pass is open (roughly May to November). Carry warm layers; the road is narrow and dusty.
  • Rafting on the Sindh · 2 h. Fast, cold water in early summer; run with a registered operator.
  • Trout streams and the Sindh valley · 2 h. Angling needs a licence from the Fisheries Department; most visitors just walk the river and eat trout at a dhaba.

Local tip: Union taxis climb the Zojila road to snowfields at Zero Point when the pass is open (roughly May to November). Carry warm layers; the road is narrow and dusty.

Open day 4 route in Google Maps

Day 5: Sonamarg → Pahalgam

Pahalgam · Sonamarg to Pahalgam, Car ~4.5h

  • Betaab valley · 2.5 h. A riverside park in a green bowl named after the film shot here; combine it with Chandanwari in one union-taxi trip.

Local tip: A riverside park in a green bowl named after the film shot here; combine it with Chandanwari in one union-taxi trip.

Open day 5 route in Google Maps

Day 6: Explore Pahalgam

Pahalgam

  • Aru valley · 3.5 h. A 12 km union-taxi ride up the Lidder to open meadows and a small village; base for longer treks with a guide.
  • Pony ride into the hills · 3 h. Ponies use fixed per-route rates set by the tourism department; ask for the card and agree waiting time and the exact route first.
  • Rafting on the Lidder · 2 h. Mostly grade II–III stretches near Yannar from about May to August; operators provide helmets and jackets — insist on them.
  • Lidder riverside walk and Mamleshwar temple · 2 h. Walk along the river from the town to the small stone Mamleshwar Shiva temple across the bridge.

Local tip: A 12 km union-taxi ride up the Lidder to open meadows and a small village; base for longer treks with a guide.

Open day 6 route in Google Maps

Day 7: Depart from Pahalgam

Pahalgam

Keep a buffer before your flight; check-out is usually noon.

Where to stay